To sum up the article. Basically because people get stressed at Christmas trying to make it too perfect, and New Year tends to be expensive because EVERYWHERE charges an entry fee, Mark Steel suggests this "Or join a religion that insists the Christians are three days out, then get absolutely smashed on January 4th".

Got me pondering. Could we have perhaps an end of Holiday festivity on or around the 4th Jan to cover this?

In addition to celebrating still being on this globe after yet another eventful orbit, I shall be celebrating the 5th (my brother's 50th birthday) and the 10th (my youngest sister's 40th). The thing is, whenever a date is set for celebration it doesn't matter how arbitrary or moveable it is (cf. Easter); if the majority of the population is expected to celebrate it, there will be closures and high prices in the establishments that remain open. Human nature will out.